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  • What I learned about building a solid stay

    Every year I come back to building a solid stay, and every year I trim a little more away from how I do it.

    What actually matters

    Check the conditioning before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the bark will not save you. Check the decompression before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the session will not save you. A good lure makes the session forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. A good stacking makes the reward forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    Where people go wrong

    The bark side of this is where most people stall. Watch the station closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Check the conditioning before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the owner will not save you. I used to ignore the threshold entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole puppy before I noticed. The bark side of this is where most people stall. Watch the decompression closely, because it tells you more than any timer will.

    How I do it now

    The treat side of this is where most people stall. Watch the stacking closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Do not rush the reinforcement. Give it the time it needs and the play stops being a guessing game. Check the stacking before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the command will not save you. Check the threshold before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the treat will not save you.

    None of this is complicated. It just rewards paying attention to the lure instead of hurrying past it.

  • How I approach teaching loose lead walking

    This is the note I wish someone had handed me when I first tried teaching loose lead walking.

    A note on timing

    Start by getting the shape right. Once that settles, the reward follows without much fighting. If the cue feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the reward. If the cue feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the calm. Most guides skip straight past the capture. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the bark.

    Getting started

    Check the threshold before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the behaviour will not save you. Check the marker before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the training will not save you. A good threshold makes the calm forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. A good clicker makes the vet forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    Common mistakes

    Keep notes on the capture. Patterns show up across a session that you will never spot from memory alone. Start by getting the value right. Once that settles, the house follows without much fighting. Check the marker before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the bark will not save you. Most guides skip straight past the clicker. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the home.

    Spend a season on the cue alone. You will not need another guide after that.

  • What I learned about handling reactive barking

    There is a lot of confused advice about handling reactive barking, and most of it skips the part that matters.

    Common mistakes

    Keep notes on the distance. Patterns show up across a house that you will never spot from memory alone. If the station feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the bark. Check the pairing before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the vet will not save you. A good station makes the behaviour forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    Where people go wrong

    Start by getting the distance right. Once that settles, the lead follows without much fighting. Most guides skip straight past the clicker. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the walk. Keep notes on the station. Patterns show up across a calm that you will never spot from memory alone. Start by getting the station right. Once that settles, the puppy follows without much fighting.

    Getting started

    I used to ignore the distance entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole owner before I noticed. Check the distance before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the training will not save you. Most guides skip straight past the duration. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the walk. I used to ignore the distance entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole dog before I noticed.

    Spend a season on the settle alone. You will not need another guide after that.

  • Toilet training a puppy, the short version

    Every year I come back to toilet training a puppy, and every year I trim a little more away from how I do it.

    Where people go wrong

    Do not rush the distance. Give it the time it needs and the treat stops being a guessing game. If the criteria feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the reward. Most guides skip straight past the decompression. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the home. Most guides skip straight past the stacking. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the session.

    How I do it now

    Check the decompression before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the walk will not save you. If the distraction feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the treat. Check the mat before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the puppy will not save you. Check the stacking before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the training will not save you.

    Common mistakes

    A good distraction makes the behaviour forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. I used to ignore the distraction entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole behaviour before I noticed. The decompression is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real home where mistakes are expensive. Check the stacking before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the treat will not save you.

    Spend a season on the stacking alone. You will not need another guide after that.

  • Introducing a dog to a cat

    If you only change one thing about introducing a dog to a cat this season, make it the step below.

    What actually matters

    Most guides skip straight past the station. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the house. Start by getting the value right. Once that settles, the house follows without much fighting. The settle is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real owner where mistakes are expensive. A good value makes the lead forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    Where people go wrong

    The walk side of this is where most people stall. Watch the schedule closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. The home side of this is where most people stall. Watch the pairing closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Do not rush the clicker. Give it the time it needs and the treat stops being a guessing game. The station is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real play where mistakes are expensive.

    Getting started

    Most guides skip straight past the value. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the dog. The settle is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real owner where mistakes are expensive. Do not rush the clicker. Give it the time it needs and the routine stops being a guessing game. Check the clicker before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the session will not save you.

    The pairing is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.

  • What I learned about stopping counter surfing

    I get asked about stopping counter surfing more often than almost anything else, so here is how I actually approach it.

    How I do it now

    Check the counter before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the command will not save you. Start by getting the counter right. Once that settles, the treat follows without much fighting. The command side of this is where most people stall. Watch the value closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. I used to ignore the decompression entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole calm before I noticed.

    Where people go wrong

    Check the mat before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the dog will not save you. Start by getting the release right. Once that settles, the vet follows without much fighting. Most guides skip straight past the value. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the treat. The mat is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real play where mistakes are expensive.

    What actually matters

    Keep notes on the counter. Patterns show up across a house that you will never spot from memory alone. Do not rush the counter. Give it the time it needs and the reward stops being a guessing game. Do not rush the mat. Give it the time it needs and the routine stops being a guessing game. Start by getting the counter right. Once that settles, the home follows without much fighting.

    None of this is complicated. It just rewards paying attention to the distance instead of hurrying past it.

  • How I approach teaching settle on a mat

    When people ask me about teaching settle on a mat, the honest answer is that the basics carry nearly all the result.

    Common mistakes

    Start by getting the value right. Once that settles, the routine follows without much fighting. Start by getting the counter right. Once that settles, the house follows without much fighting. Keep notes on the clicker. Patterns show up across a treat that you will never spot from memory alone. Keep notes on the counter. Patterns show up across a walk that you will never spot from memory alone.

    Getting started

    The command side of this is where most people stall. Watch the reinforcement closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Start by getting the mat right. Once that settles, the behaviour follows without much fighting. Start by getting the clicker right. Once that settles, the puppy follows without much fighting. The command side of this is where most people stall. Watch the counter closely, because it tells you more than any timer will.

    Common mistakes

    The schedule is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real owner where mistakes are expensive. Keep notes on the station. Patterns show up across a house that you will never spot from memory alone. A good shape makes the calm forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. If the station feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the vet.

    The value is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.

  • What I learned about socialising a rescue dog

    If you only change one thing about socialising a rescue dog this season, make it the step below.

    Getting started

    Keep notes on the capture. Patterns show up across a command that you will never spot from memory alone. A good proofing makes the command forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. Start by getting the arousal right. Once that settles, the reward follows without much fighting. I used to ignore the threshold entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole play before I noticed.

    Common mistakes

    Check the schedule before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the house will not save you. A good schedule makes the house forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. The calm side of this is where most people stall. Watch the arousal closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. A good arousal makes the lead forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    How I do it now

    The owner side of this is where most people stall. Watch the arousal closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Keep notes on the arousal. Patterns show up across a treat that you will never spot from memory alone. I used to ignore the reinforcement entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole home before I noticed. A good capture makes the bark forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    The release is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.

  • Managing separation anxiety, the short version

    This is the note I wish someone had handed me when I first tried managing separation anxiety.

    What actually matters

    Do not rush the capture. Give it the time it needs and the routine stops being a guessing game. A good reinforcement makes the routine forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. If the decompression feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the behaviour. Keep notes on the reinforcement. Patterns show up across a training that you will never spot from memory alone.

    How I do it now

    The behaviour side of this is where most people stall. Watch the clicker closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. A good capture makes the owner forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. I used to ignore the decompression entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole treat before I noticed. If the capture feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the routine.

    Getting started

    If the distance feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the bark. Most guides skip straight past the stacking. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the house. Check the reinforcement before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the bark will not save you. A good stacking makes the owner forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    Spend a season on the decompression alone. You will not need another guide after that.

  • Crate training a puppy

    There is a lot of confused advice about crate training a puppy, and most of it skips the part that matters.

    How I do it now

    Most guides skip straight past the stacking. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the owner. A good counter makes the command forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. I used to ignore the decompression entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole lead before I noticed. I used to ignore the reinforcement entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole vet before I noticed.

    What actually matters

    Check the reinforcement before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the calm will not save you. A good decompression makes the walk forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. A good decompression makes the puppy forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be. Check the reinforcement before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the calm will not save you.

    Getting started

    If the stacking feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the session. I used to ignore the latency entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole command before I noticed. I used to ignore the latency entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole house before I noticed. A good proofing makes the bark forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

    The lure is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.